Audi Again Up To Challenges, Wins 2014 Le Mans

The Porsche 919 Hybrids were able to put pressure on Audi at Le Mans this weekend, but in the end, could not find the podium. (Photo courtesy of Porsche)

This was supposed to be the year that Audi’s domination of the 24 of Le Mans was to end. This was supposed to be the year that really fast Toyotas and Porsche’s return to the LMP1 class were going to upstage Audi.

Nope.

Even a sweeping new set of technical regulations couldn’t deprive the German marque of another Le Mans victory.

Audi, showing the solid performance and even more solid reliability it has developed over the past decade, won for the fifth straight time at Le Mans on Sunday. The victory was the 10th in the last 11 years. It was the 13th overall for Audi.

The winning Audi was the No. 2 Audi Sport Team Joest R18 E-Tron, driven at the end by Benoit Treluyer.

His co-drivers were Marcel Fassler and Andre Lotterer.

Finishing second, three laps back with Tom Kristensen driving the final stint, was the No. 1 factory Audi. Co-driving that car was Marc Gene, who was subbing for injured Loic Duval, and Lucas di Grassi

But earning the right to the top two steps on the podium did not come without challenge for the German car maker.

Toyota TS 040’s led major chunks of the race. And in the end, the No. 8 Toyota, with Anthony Davidson driving, finished third, though five laps back. Sebastien Buemi and Nicolas Lapierre co-drove car.

Pole-sitter Kazuki Nakajima’s Toyota No. 7 retired in the 15th hour because of an electrical problem.

“It is heartbreaking,” Nakajima said. “Somehow I thought maybe we could make it this time and then this happens. That’s Le Mans and that’s why we come here to take on the challenge. We will try again.”

Porsche, back after a 16-year absence in the LMP1 class, also showed strength in its return

The Le Mans-winning Audi R18.

to Le Mans. Porsche 919s also led portions of the race.

The No. 20 Porsche 919 Hybrid, being driven by former Formula One star Mark Webber, was sitting in second place and apparently headed to a podium finish when it lost power and limped to the paddocks.

There, it joined the second Porsche Team 919, which had also succumbed to a mechanical problem.

The Audis also had mechanical problems during the race. The winning car, for example, had turbocharger problems during the race.

“At one stage, we thought it was over,” Lotterer said.

But, in the end, not as many and not as serious as were Toyota’s and Porsche’s.

“Lot of ups and downs,” Fassler said after the win was secured.

This year, the factory LMP1s cars were not only defined by power, but also fuel efficiency. Each car – every one a hybrid – was limited to a specified fuel allocation.

Technical regulations also called for a weight reduction of 30 kilograms, narrower tubs, smaller 14-inch wide tires and a larger cockpit.

None of that mattered in the end as Audi ruled Le Mans once again.

In the LM GTE Pro class, the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia held off the No. 73 Corvette C7R to get the victory. Gianmaria Bruni was driving the Ferrari at the end. His co-drivers were Giancarlo Fisichella and Toni Vilander.

“It’s hard to be satisfied with second since it started so well for us a day ago,” Magnussen said. “We had the car to win but as so often happens in Le Mans, things get in the way. We had some small issues in the pits and quite often picked up the wrong safety car. Three times I was stuck right behind the safety car which means you lose at least one third of a lap. But everybody performed flawlessly – especially Antonio and Jordan – but also the crew and the engineers did a stellar job.”

The Porsche 911 RSR of Porsche Team Manthey finished third.

In LMP2, the JOTA Sport Zytek Z11SN Nissan got the class victory. Oliver Turvey was at the wheel in the final stint.